Button-making machine.



J. W. MILLER.

BUTTON MAKING MAGHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.7, 1907. 919 914. Patented Apr.- 27, 1909.

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BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED DEO.7,1907.

9 1 9 9 4, Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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Jol'umwmiller J. W. MILLER.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.'7,1907.

9 1 9,9 1 4, Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.7,1907.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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J. W. MILLER.

BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.'7,1907.

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BUTTON-MAKIN G MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Application filed December 7, 1907. Serial No. 405,496.

To all whom it may concern: Be 'it known that I, JOHN W. MILLER, acitizen of the Unite'd States, and a resident of the city of Muscat-inc,in the county of Muscat-inc and State of Iowa, have invented a certainnew and useful Button-Making Machine, of which the following is aspecification. a

M invention relates to machines for making utitons from mother of pearlmaterial, etc., and its princi al objectis to provide such a machinewiiose operations may be controlled by a single hand-operated part, andits other objects will more fully appear hereinafter. These ob'ects areattained by, and my invent-ion is em odied in, the following describedmechanism, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1is a front elevation of my button making machine viewed from theposition of the operator; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3"is. also a side elevation of the same, with the operating handle, etc,removed, and the lower portion broken away; Fig. 4 is a plan or top viewof my machine; Fig. 5 is a. horizontal section thereof on line 55 ofFig. 2, Fig. 6 is a vertical section of my machine (the lower portionbroken away) on'line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is also a vertical sectioiiof the same on line 77 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a vertical section of thetool-feeding mechanism, etc, on line 88 of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a detailView showing in vertical section part of thetool-feedmg mechanism, etc,on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a'detai'l view showing in vertical section part of suchtool-feeding mechanism, etc, on line 10-10 of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is adetail, a plan or top view of the materialseat mechanism, my machinebeing sectioned for this view on line 11-11 of Fig. 3; Fig. 12 is avertical section of the material-seat mechanism on line 1212 of Fig. 11;and

Fig. 13 is a detail'view of the material seat.

on which the work rests, with its socket and ferrule shown in verticalsection.

In hearings on the main frame 1. rotates in power-conveying shaft withits skew gear 2.

meshing w'iththe skew gear 13 by which the cutting tool 3 is rotated,and also a powerconveyin shaft with its gear 4: by which the toolcedingmechanism is operated.

In bearings 5 on the main frame the toolcarrying mechanism movesvertically, the

sleeve 6 and the hollow mandrel 10 (having the skew gear 13 borne by itsupper portion or keyed sleeve 7) sliding in said bearings, the keyedsleeve 7 rotating also therein. This vertical sliding movement isimparted and controlled, as hereinafter explained, through the gear 8meshing with the rack 9 borne by the sleeve 6. The lower or main portionof the mandrel 10 has its bearing in the sleeve 6. In a tapered frictionbearing, as shown, the mandrel 10 at its lower end holds and rotates thehollow tool holder or saw spool 11 tapered to fit such bearing, whichtool holder 11 contains and rotates with it the rotary cutting tool orcrown saw 3 as shown, which is keyed in position by the hollow conicalkey 12. A screw collar 14 threaded on the sleeve 6 and having lugs forturning as shown, serves to adjust the position of the mandrel byraising or lowering the same relatively to the sleeve 6. Balls as shownin the bearing between the mandrel 10 and the washer 15 (in spline-likeengagement at 56 with the sleevefi as shown in Fig. 6) serve to lessenthe friction. The mechanism is tightened'and the friction reduced b astrong spring 16 pressing (with ball bearings as shown) between theupper end of the sleeve 6 and the shoulder formed by the lowerextremityof the keyed sleeve 7 of the mandrel 10.

A material-holdin mechanism to securely hold the materlal 23 operatedon, is borne by the tool-carrying mechanism. This material holdingmechanism has a main body 17 pierced to allow the passage therethroughof the tool holder 11 and provided with slides 18 moving vertically ashort distance in bearings 19 secured, as by the screws 63, to thesleeve 6. These slides are pressed downward by strong springs 20, theiraction being limited by stops 21. Pivoted at 22 on the body 17 are theoppositely disposed lever arms 24 which carry on slotted bearings 25 thematerial holders or grippers 26 having downwardly and slightly inwardlyprojecting fingers 27 whose lower extremities are serrated as shown toengage and securely hold the work or material 23. Adjusting screws 28whose heads are pressed by the leaf springs 29 on the body 17 serve toadjust the grippers-on their bearings 25 to tool holders 11of differentdiameters. The grippers 26 and their fingers 27 being of stiff springmaterial and the fingers being concaved inwardly as shown, may be ressedthe screws 28 being properly ad- ]usted), y the weight of the mechanismsupported by the fingers and by the pressure of the springs 20, againstthe lower part of the'tool holder 11 thus forming for it a bearing orlateral support near the work.

The rotary cutting tool, a crown saw 3 as shown, is of hollowcylindrical form and slit longitudinally. A key 12, in form the hollowfrustum of a cone, is driven into the hollow saw from above and, openingthe slit from the top, serves-to tightly hold the saw in position in itsholder or spool 11.

When the cutting of a blank is finished it is expelled from the saw bythe cylindrical lunger 30 around which rotates on a free bearing themandrel 10. This plunger 30 extends, downward within the hollow toolholder 11, hollow tool 3, and hollow'key 12,

and rests at its lower extremity on the part of the material from whichthe blank is cut during the cutting operation. The blank being cut, thetool-carrying mechanism (includlng the tool, mandrel, etc.) rises, thematerial-holding mechanism still resting on the work (such rising beingeffected by the springs 20 in the interval between the automaticstopping of the feed of the tool and the raising by hand of the leverhandle 31 for a new cutting-all as hereinafter explained) and startswith it the plunger resting on blank still held in the-saw. The plungeris immediately arrested by its lug 39 striking the stop bar 72 which ispierced at 38 to allow the sliding movement therethrough of the upperend of the plunger and is carried by screw adjustments as shown on theslides 18, which slides during this action of the springs 20remain'stationary, resting through the fingers, etc., on the material.When the blank is thus forced out of the saw the plunger falls by itsweight a short distance until arrested by its shoulder 33 striking the.spring 32 which rests on the mandrel 10 and relievesthe jar. Thisposition of the plunger is shown in Fig. 3. The plunger is hollow in itsupper portion asshown, with a vent 34 through its wall, communicatingwith an annular gutter 36 in the internal surface of the mandrel 10;from this annular gutter a helical gutter 35 in the internal surface ofthe mandrel winds downward turning in a direction contrary to therotation of the tool. Water being admitted into the top of the plungerthrough a flexible tube 37, descends into the helical gutter and isforced downward by the mandrels rotation in a rotating column throughthe hollow tool holder 11 and hollow key 12 upon the material, thusserving to cool thesaw and to clear away its cuttings. b

The tool-feeding mechanism is articularl shown in Fig. 8 and is asollows: In earmgs on the main frame 1 a sleeve .41 is rotated ashereinafter explained. To

this the gear 8 is keyed, and the conical friction-clutch wheel 43 issplined at 44. Turning on the sleeve 41 and near its extremity is theball-carrying sleeve 45 on which is adjusted, as by set screw 46, asuitable collar 47 carrying the only hand-operated part of the entiremachine necessary to its operation, the lever handle 31. These parts areheld together on a central spindle 48, having the pin 50 and washer 51,by the spring 49 pressing during the cessation of the toolfeeding thesleeve 41 against the stop 52 carried by the spindle, (the sleeve 41being slotted longitudinally at its end, at 53, to receive this stop asshown) and also press ing during the tool-feeding, and to effectuate thesame, the sleeve 41 and the sleeve 45 toward each other by means of thewasher 51. The sleeve 45 carries the pin or lug 54 operating ashereinafter described to strike the stop 55 formed by one end of theslot- 57 in the face of the clutch wheel 43 and thus rotate it. On theface of the clutch wheel 43 rise the cams 58, oppositely disposed asshown, on which cams travel and on their summits rest the balls 59carried by the sleeve 45. By this mechanism the friction clutch wheel 43is thrown (by pressing the lever handle 31 downward and away from theoperator) into its friction engagement with the correspondingfriction-clutch idle gear wheel 60 which is rotated by the worm gear 61turned by the bevel gears 4 and 62, thus feeding the tool down by thegear 8 and rack 9. The feeding of the tool is stopped by the leverhandle 31 striking a stop 71 on the main frame 1 as hereinafterexplained.

The lower part of the main frame 1 carries the material-seat mechanism.This comprises a rotary bearing 40 (in the main frame) which sustainsthe eccentric 42 retatable in said bearing as by a suitable handle 64keyed to the eccentric at 65. A material-seat socket 66 is adapted toslide vertically in a bearing in the eccentric, being adjustable to adesired height by a hand screw 67. This socket 66 is hollow its entirelength and receives and holds at its up during the cutting operations ispreferably of turned wood, slightly tapering toward the top. It isprovided at its upper end with a s lit ferrule 69 which is ta "ered orbevele internally at its lower e ge, at 70, as shown in Fig. 13, sothat, as the seat wears away, the ferrule is gradually forced down onthe tapering seat by the turning over of the wood fibers of the seat, asi lus'trated in Fig. 13-. V a

My button making machine is operated in the following manner asillustrated in the drawings, Fig. 3 of which shows the toolc'arryin-gmechanism raised by the lever handle31 to its highest position, in whichposition the rotation of the tool ceases by reason of the skew gear 13being carried above and out of engagement with the skew gear 2. Thetool-carrying mechanism may be raised to this height in order tofacilitate the replacing of tools, etc, for which purpose also thefingers 27 and the lever arms 24 may be forced downward by hand againstthe pressure of the leaf springs 2'9 as shown in'Fi'g. 3. It will beseen that the tool holder 11 may be thus removed without loosening asingle screw or nut or stopping the ower; and where several machines aresupp ied by the same power shaft, such adjustments may be made in onemachine without interfering with the operation of the others. Unless soforced down as shown in Fig. 3, the fingers 27 and lever arms 24 areheld by the leaf springs 29 in the position shown in the other drawi gs.1

When the material 23 is placed on the material-seat 68 and the leverhandle '31 is moved by hand toward the operator and then down fromitsposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the skew gear 13 slidesinto operative engagement with the rotating skew gear 2, the tool thusbeginning to retate. and the lever handle being released from the hand,the weight of the tool-carrying mechanism is supported by the fingers'27 resting on the material '23 which is thus held in position forcutting. The plunger 30 also rests on the blank to be out. The positionof the parts at this time is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The lever handle isthen pressed downward by hand and thus carries the balls 59 up and onthe summits of the cams 58. This action forces the friction clutch wheel43 into operative engagement with the gear 60, which has hitherto turnedidly, being rotated by the worm gear 61. By this friction engagement thesleeve 41 and gear 8 are rotated by power supplied through the gears 4and 62 and the tool is fed downward by the rack 9. As the feeding beginsand progresses the springs 20 are compressed by the descent of the tool.By the friction engagement created by the spring 49 operating throughthe balls 59,

sleeves 41 and 45, etc., the lever handle is carried downward with therotation of the gear 60 until the handle 31 strikes the etc 71 when, therotation continuing, the bal s 59 arev rolled down and off the cams 58,thus releasing the friction clutch -13, stopping the rotation of thegear 8, etc., and arresting the feeding of the tool. This stop 71 isadjusted to arrest the tool feeding when the cutting of the blank isfinished. The parts at this instant are in the position shown in Figs. 6and 7. Immediately the friction clutch is disengaged by the stop 71,causin the feed ing' to cease, the springs 20 raise the tool out of itskerf thus preventing unnecessary wear, and the blank is expelled by theplunger 30 as hereinbefore explained, but the fingers 27 still rest onthe material, holding it in place by the weight of the toohca'rryingmechanism and the material-holding mechanism as before the beginning ofthe feedin of the tool, thus making it unnecessary to hold the materialby hand until the operator is ready to reposition it for a new cutting.The expansion of the springs 20 when the tool feeding ceases alsocontributes to the ease of the operator, such expansion serving toautomatically raise a part of the way a part of the Weight necessary tobe lifted in order to make another positioning of the material, and thecompression of the springs 20 as the feeding of the tool progressesserves to more securely hold the material in position, by reinforcingthe Weight of the mechanisms borne by the material. The blank being cutand expelled from the saw, the lever handle is raised by hand, but notnecessarily so high as to carry the skew gear 13 out of engagement asshown in Fig. 3. This movement carries the lug 54 against the stop 55(clearly illustrated in Figs. 8 and 10), and continuing, thus rotatesthe clutch wheel 43, sleeve 41 and gear8 and raises by the rack 9 thetool-carrying mechanism and with it by the stops 21 the material-holdingmechanism including the fingers 27, high enough to reposition by handthe material .23 on its seat 68 for a new cutting.

It will be seen that, inasmuch as the material is securely held on itsseat until the lever handle is raised, one person can operate severalmachines, positioning the material in one while the others are cutting;also that there being a pair of fingers 27 with an opening1 betweenthem, the operator may seethroug such opening the exact position of thetool upon the work and may place the material to the best advantage;-also that the material-seat being stationary and its face horizontal,the material is easily handled and retained in position.

The conical key 12 .with cooperating parts is to be made the subjectmatter of a divisional or separate application for patent.

It is evident that my invention may. be embodied in other and varyingmechanisms without departing from its scope and spirit; and therefore Ido not propose to confine myself to the details of construction shownand described.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable tool holder, acontrolling handle,

an automatic tool feeding mechanism, a

material holder, means intermediate said handle and the tool feedingmechanism to initiate by said handle the operation of the tool feedingmechanism, and means intermediate said handle and the material holder tocontrol by said handle the operation of the material holderindependently of the tool feeding mechanism.

2. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable tool holder, acontrolling handle, an automatic tool feeding mechanism, a materialholder, means intermediate said handle and the tool holder tomove bysaid handle the tool holder axially and independently of the toolfeeding mechanism, means intermediate said handle and the tool feedingmechanism to initiate by said handle the operation of the tool feedingmechanism, and means intermediate said handle and the material holder tocontrol by said handle the operation of the material holderindependently of the tool feeding mechanism.

3. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a rotatable toolholder movable on the frame in the direction of its axis, a materialholder movable with the tool holder a part of the tool holders traveland movable relatively tothe tool holder another part of such travel, anautomatic tool feeding mechanism intermediate. the frame and the tool.holder, a seat on which the material is held by the material holder, anoperating handle on the frame, means intermediate said handle and thetoolholder to move the tool holder by said handle independently of thetool feeding mechanism, and means intermediate said handle and the toolfeeding mechanism to initiate by said handle the operation of the toolfeeding mechanism.

4. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a rotatable toolholder movable on the frame in the direction of its axis, a materialholder movable with the tool holder a "part of the tool holders traveland movable relatively to the tool holder another part of such travel,an automatic tool feeding mechanism intermediate the frame and the toolholder, a seat on which the material is held by the material holder, anoperating handle on the frame, means intermediate said handle and thetool holder to move the tool holder by said handle independently of thetool feeding mechanism, means intermediate said handle and the toolfeeding mechanism to initiate by said handle the operation of the toolfeedin mechanism, and means intermediate S3l( handle and the materialholder to control by said handle the material holders operation.

, 5. Inamachine of the character described, the combination of a frame,a vertically axial rotatable tool holder movable vertically on theframe, an automatic tool feeding mechanism, means for automaticallystopping the operation of the tool feeding mechanism, a material holdervertically movable with the tool holder and also by the operation of thetool feeding mechanism movable relatively to the tool holder, a seat onwhich the material is held by the weight of the material holder, aspring intermediate the material holder and the tool holder compressedduring the operation of the tool feeding mechanism by the relativemovement of the tool holder and the material holder to reinforce theaction of the material holder and expanding at the automatic cessationof the operation of the tool feeding to raise the tool holder from thework while the material holder still rests by gravity thereon, acontrolling handle, means intermediate said handle and the materialholder to move by said handle the material holder vertically, and meansto initiate by said handle the operation of the tool feeding mechanism.

6; In amachine of the character described, the combination of a frame, arotatable tool holder movable on the frame in the direction of its axis,a shaft rotatable on the frame, means to move the tool holder axially bythe rotation of the shaft, a powerdriven clutch member splined on theshaft,

a controlling handle-bearing collar on the shaft having a limitedturning movement thereon with respect to the clutch. member, meansintermediate the collar and the clutch member adapted to throw theclutch member into its engagement and actuated by turning the collar,and a stop on the frame adapted to arrest the rotation of the collar todisengage the collar and clutch member.

7. In a machine of the character described having a tool holder, amaterial holding mechanism having a body, a lever arm pivoted on thebody and carrying a gripper adjacent the tool, and a spring pressing thegripper toward the tool holder.

8. In amachine of the character described, a rotatable tool-carryingmandrel having a helical water way winding toward the work and turningin the direction contrary to the direction of the rotation of themandrel.

9. In amachine of the character described, the combination of a tubularrotatable toolcarrying mandrel having in its inner surface a helicalwater way winding toward the work and turning in the direction contraryto the direction of the rotation of the mandrel, and a spindle aroundwhich the mandrel rotates forming with the mandrel the Walls of thehelical Way. v

10. In a machine of the character described, a material-supporting seatslightly 5 tapering toward its face and provided With .Witnesses:

a split ferrule beveled internally at its lower F. A. THORNTON, edge. A.P. BRUGGE.

I In testimony whereof, I have signed my I name'to this specification inthe presence of 1 two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. MILLER.

